Lord Rooker: Officials from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) and the Department for Employment and Learning (DEL) have met their colleagues in the Republic's Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE) and InterTradeIreland to plan and agree the approach to further developing economic co-operation that would be of mutual benefit to both jurisdictions. Bilaterals between the lead departments and agencies North and South are under way. The work will be overseen by a steering group comprising senior officials and business representatives. There is, of course, already good North-South co-operation in a number of areas, including energy, tourism, telecommunications and trade.

Lord Rooker: We intend the Education and Skills Authority to be in place by April 2008.
	The new authority will focus on the operational delivery of educational services and will be involved in the strategic planning of the schools' estate and ensuring delivery of the 14 to 19 curriculum.
	At this stage, the functions and membership of the new education authority are still to be decided. However, it will be governed by a board, in accordance with the principles set out by the office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

Lord Adonis: The secondary school curriculum sets out that schools must teach about the European Union in both citizenship and history. At key stage 3 (11–14 year olds), the citizenship curriculum provides that pupils are taught about the world as a global community, and the political, economic, environmental and social implications of this, and the role of the European Union, the Commonwealth and the United Nations. In history, pupils of this age are taught to identify trends both within and across different periods and links between local, British, European and world history, and about the history of Britain in its European and wider world context. At key stage 4, (14–16 year olds) the citizenship curriculum provides that pupils are taught about the United Kingdom's relations in Europe, including the European Union, and relations with the Commonwealth and the United Nations. The national curriculum is not made up of modules but programmes of study, which set out the legal requirements on what schools must cover at each key stage.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: Competition between venues for the execution of orders for financial instruments can foster innovation and lead to reductions in the cost of transactions and, ultimately, the cost of capital for issuers of financial instruments. The Government therefore welcome the provisions in the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (Directive 2004/39/EC) which seek to facilitate competition between venues for the execution of orders for financial instruments, including national stock exchanges.
	The facilitation of competition between execution venues also requires the removal of obstacles to efficient cross-border clearing and settlement in the EU. The Government welcome the focus that the European Commission has put on this issue, the co-operation between the Commission's internal market and competition directorates on the work, and the way in which the Commission has actively involved market participants in its deliberations.

Baroness Andrews: Section 56 of the Housing Act provides for local authorities to make designations for additional licensing schemes to extend houses in multiple occupation (HMO) licensing beyond the scope of mandatory licensing to smaller properties in their area. However, before making such designations, authorities are required to consult with those likely to be affected by the designation and take account of any representations received.
	The Government have no statutory powers to issue guidance to local authorities about undertaking consultations for additional licensing schemes under the licensing provisions in the Housing Act 2004. However, a number of statutory instruments have recently been laid before Parliament and published, and these will help define the framework within which additional licensing schemes will operate.
	The Government also provided funding for the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA), to help with the delivery of training programmes for local authorities. These programmes have encouraged local authorities to create good working relationships with landlords. The IDeA also facilitated some regional joint events for local authority staff and landlords, which attracted more than 600 delegates and involved input from a range of private landlord organisations. The events also provided an opportunity for the two groups to talk constructively about approaches to licensing, including the consultation process for additional licensing.
	A dedicated website has also been set up at www.propertylicence.gov.uk to provide advice to local authorities, landlords and tenants on licensing issues.

Baroness Andrews: The 2003 English House Condition Survey estimated that 1 million privately rented homes fell below the decent homes standard—47 per cent. of all privately rented homes, compared to 31 per cent. of all homes. The 2003 survey also estimated that 226,000 privately rented homes were unfit for human habitation—10 per cent. of all privately rented homes compared to 5 per cent. of all homes. This shows substantial improvement from 1996, when 1.25 million privately rented homes (62 per cent) were non-decent and 337,000 homes (17 per cent) were unfit. As part of the drive to improve standards, the implementation of the Housing Act 2004 will, from 6 April, make new provisions for the health and safety of all residential accommodation and for the licensing of larger houses in multiple occupation.

Baroness Andrews: The Housing Act 2004 will, from 6 April this year, provide for the health and safety of residential accommodation, the licensing of larger, higher-risk HMOs and new minimum management standards for all HMOs. These measures are expected to make a significant impact on the physical and management standards that apply to those properties in the sector where the worst conditions are found. University owned and controlled student accommodation will also be subject to government-approved codes of management practice.
	From October 2006, the Act will also provide for the safeguarding of tenants' deposits. This will address a key problem area in landlord-tenant relations.
	Voluntary measures that will encourage improved management standards—such as membership of trade and professional bodies, landlord training and development, and local and regional accreditation of privately rented properties and landlords—are also to be developed.
	These measures form a key part of our wider strategy to encourage a vibrant private rented sector that meets the housing needs of households of different size and income, and operates to high standards.

Lord Warner: The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has had only preliminary consideration of the human papillomavirus vaccine. However this vaccine is not yet licensed for use in the United Kingdom.

Lord Rooker: The prospect of greater engagement North and South on attracting foreign direct investment is one of the issues identified for consideration in the audit review of North-South economic co-operation agreed by Ministers.
	Of course, Invest NI already works closely with the Industrial Development Authority (IDA) and Enterprise Ireland on matters of mutual interest. In January, the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern led a joint trade mission to India comprising companies from Northern Ireland and the Republic, and next month the Secretary of State will lead a follow-up trade mission to India, which will include companies from both jurisdictions.

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	When and in what circumstances they have refused to give effect to recommendations by the Parliamentary Ombudsman, by reference to each year since the office was established in 1967.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The local allocation of resources and budget management are matters for the chief constable and police authority, who will make decisions according to local plans and operational priorities. It is the Government's role to allocate funding to police force areas as a whole.
	North Wales Police Authority is receiving its fair share of available funding next year. It will receive £73.7 million in general grants, an increase of 3.1 per cent. (£2.2 million) over the comparable figure for 2005–06. This is in line with the broadly flat-rate increase of 3.1 per cent. for all forces in England and Wales. North Wales benefits from this decision. If the funding formula had been strictly applied it would have received £7.2 million less. The bulk (£5.6 million) of the extra £7.2 million needed to bring it up to the funding floor has been provided by Home Office resources outside the general grant settlement. On top of general grant, North Wales will receive £3.1 million in special formula grant, a consolidation of four specific grants that will enable the authority to operate more flexibly, and an estimated £12.8 million in specific grants and capital provision.
	Following consultation and widespread support we have introduced for 2006–07 a single specific grant covering all counter-terrorism (CT) policing. This includes dedicated security post (DSP) funding that has been removed from the general grant. North Wales will receive £3.7 million in DSP funding next year and will be able to bid for further CT funding from a £64 million pot allocated to ACPO. The single CT specific grant has been taken forward with agreement from the chair of ACPO's Terrorism and Allied Matters.

Lord Warner: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) recognised that guidance was required when the new digital technology first appeared and placed appropriate guidance and advice on its website about regular radiation dose constancy checks.
	This guidance is regularly updated, and MHRA and the Department of Health work closely with the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine, which has produced recent, more detailed work regarding anatomical differences. This guidance is cross-referenced in a number of official documents to ensure healthcare staff are informed.
	The radiation dose required to produce a digital radiographic image is approximately the same as the film-based radiation dose. Digital radiography has an added advantage where, if the operator should misjudge slightly the size of the patient, the detector unit compensates for this and ultimately can save a repeat procedure, which means no extra radiation dose.
	All new direct digital radiography units are fitted with a device that directly measures the radiation dose per image; this can help to indicate any drift in radiation values.
	It is down to individual purchasers at each hospital rather than the Government to make their own enquiries about the dose implications of their radiological purchases.
	The local radiation protection adviser and medical physics expert will be involved in the commissioning process to ensure that image quality is optimised with the lowest possible radiation dose. Comprehensive advice is available from professional organisations such as the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine and the multi-disciplinary body the British Institute of Radiology.

Lord Berkeley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the recent emergency evacuation trial in the Channel Tunnel was considered by the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority to have been satisfactory; how long it took from the start of the emergency to evacuate the last person; and what lessons were learned.

Lord Bach: This refers to the area of land which benefits from irrigation activities funded under the Rural Enterprise Scheme's "agricultural water resources management" measure.
	Under this measure Defra aims to support the sustainable use of water for agricultural purposes, primarily through the provision of winter storage reservoirs. Projects funded are expected to achieve both economic and environmental benefits by utilising new reservoir storage for irrigation, thus allowing sustainable production of higher value crops, whilst at the same time helping to protect the amount of water available to rivers and aquifers during summer periods of low volume.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The contribution from the General Lighthouse Fund (GLF) to the provision of navigational aids in the Republic of Ireland should not change as a consequence of the 10 per cent. cut in the level of UK light dues announced on 10 March. The contribution, estimated at £7.4 million for 2005–06, is, however, expected to rise to around £8 million in 2006–07. This increase reflects the construction costs of the combined head office and depot facility in Dun Laoghaire for the Commissioners of Irish Lights, after allowing for the estimated proceeds from the sale of the existing building in Dublin, expected to be returned to the GLF during 2006–07. The Irish Government will contribute 35 per cent. towards the cost of the project. The resultant net cost to the GLF is expected to be £4.7 million, generating estimated running cost savings of £1.4 million per annum.

Lord Warner: The National Health Service (NHS) Stop Smoking Services are available free to all smokers, of whatever age, who wish to stop. NHS Stop Smoking Services decide locally how best to promote and deliver services to their specific populations, including children and young people.
	Many NHS Stop Smoking Services include a service designed and targeted specifically to help children and young people under 18 years; for example, they train school nurses to be smoking cessation advisors, run groups at schools, and train youth and community nurses to hold "stop smoking" groups. Since December 2005 licensing arrangements for the use of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) have been changed to widen access. NRT can now be used by smokers aged 12 to 17 years.
	The Department of Health also promotes awareness and use of the NHS Stop Smoking Services. We have been running a new national advertising campaign since 13 February 2006 using two young people who explain how they gave up with the NHS Stop Smoking Service. One of the young people featured was 15 when she attended the services.
	The latest available data on the number of people who set a quit date through the NHS Stop Smoking Services and, of those, how many had successfully quit (based on self report) in England from April to September 2005 shows that 6,321 people setting a quit date were under 18 years. Of those, 2,436 had successfully quit at the four-week stage.
	Current data and information on NHS Stop Smoking Services is available in the Library and at www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/ICpubfolder–view.
	Historic data and information on NHS Stop Smoking Services can be found at
	www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/Statistics/StatisticalWorkAreas/StatisticaiPublicHealth/StatisticalPublicHealthArticle/fs/en?CONTENT–ID=4032542&chk=GhPZ%2By.

Lord Bach: The membership of the sheep subgroup of the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee (SEAC) is designed to be flexible in order to capture relevant expertise and balanced views.
	The composition of the subgroup depends on the emerging science and the issue in question, and comprises a core of SEAC members and co-opted experts. The SEAC secretariat consults widely with research institutes and government departments, and reviews published scientific literature to locate the required expertise for the subgroup. Experts co-opted on to the sheep subgroup have proven expertise on the issues in question, demonstrated by peer-reviewed publications. They represent a variety of fields in order to provide balanced views. Subgroup members are required to declare any conflict of interest should it arise for any particular item under discussion.
	When the sheep subgroup of the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee (SEAC) first met in September 1998, the membership was as follows:
	Professor Jeffrey Almond (Chair)
	Professor Adriano Aguzzi
	Professor Roy Anderson, FRS
	Dr Chris Bostock
	Dr Moira Bruce
	Mr Michael Dawson
	Dr L. Detwiler
	Dr Christl Donnelly
	Dr Linda Hoinville
	Dr Nora Hunter
	Dr Richard Kimberlin, OBE
	Dr Angela McLean
	Dr David Pepper
	Mr John Wilesmith
	Professor Mark Woolhouse
	When the sheep subgroup of SEAC met on 28 March 2000 and 14 July 2000, the membership was as follows:
	Professor Peter Smith (Chair)
	Professor Chris Bostock
	Dr Simon Cousens
	Dr Angela McLean
	Professor John Wilesmith
	Dr Linda Hoinville
	When the sheep subgroup of SEAC met on 8 December 2000, the membership was as follows:
	Professor Peter Smith (Chair)
	Professor Adriano Aguzzi
	Professor Ian McConnell
	Professor Chris Bostock
	Mr Peter Jinman
	When the sheep subgroup of SEAC (strain typing group) met on 17 July 2001, the membership was as follows:
	Professor Peter Smith (Chair)
	Professor Chris Bostock
	Sir Aaron Klug
	Professor Sir Brian Heap
	Professor Sir David Cox
	Professor Manfred Eigen
	Dr Simon Cousens
	When the sheep subgroup of SEAC met on 4 March 2002, the membership was as follows:
	Professor Peter Smith (Chair)
	Professor Roy Anderson
	Professor Chris Bostock
	Mr Ray Bradley
	Professor Robin Carrell
	Mr Peter Jinman
	Professor Ian McConnell
	When the sheep subgroup of SEAC met on 11 December 2002, the membership was as follows:
	SEAC members:
	Professor Peter Smith (Chair)
	Professor Chris Bostock
	Professor Adriano Aguzzi
	Professor Robin Carrell
	Mr Peter Jinman
	Professor Ian McConnell
	Co-opted members:
	Dr Anne Buschmann
	Dr Frederic Lantier
	Dr Alex Bossers
	Dr Steve Ryder
	Dr Fiona Houston
	Dr Wilfred Goldmann
	When the sheep subgroup of SEAC met on 26 July 2004, the membership was as follows:
	SEAC members:
	Professor Peter Smith (Chair)
	Professor Chris Bostock
	Professor Robin Carrell
	Mr Peter Jinman
	Professor Ian McConnell
	Co-opted members:
	Professor Neil Ferguson
	Dr Wilfred Goldmann
	Dr Nora Hunter
	When the sheep subgroup of SEAC met on 24 January 2006, the membership was as follows:
	SEAC members:
	Professor Chris Higgins (Chair)
	Mr Peter Jinman
	Professor Jean Manson
	Co-opted members:
	Dr Thierry Baron
	Professor Chris Bostock
	Dr Anne Buschmann
	Dr Wilfred Goldmann
	Professor Will Haresign
	Dr Nora Hunter
	Dr Rowland Kao
	Dr Hubert Laude
	Professor Martha Ulvund

Lord Davies of Oldham: The Commission has not yet made a proposal to mandate the use of headlamps during daylight hours. The Government oppose such compulsory use, except where required by poor visibility. While improved vehicle conspicuity is desirable, compulsory daytime headlamps might adversely affect the relative daytime visibility of pedestrians and cyclists. In addition, motorcyclists currently enhance their daytime conspicuity, on a voluntary basis, by using dipped-beam headlamps. If all vehicles were illuminated this advantage might be reduced or disappear. Constant headlamp use by all vehicles would also increase fuel costs and CO2 pollution. Dedicated low-wattage daytime running lights (DRLs) rather than headlamps might meet some of these concerns but we would still oppose compulsory use.

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	On what basis the chief executive of Waterways Ireland was awarded a 35 per cent. performance-related salary increase between 2000 and 2004.